This invention relates generally to alternator filters and, more particularly, concerns rotatable alternator filters.
Alternators are used on vehicles to supply electrical energy for vehicles. The field of their use extends from automobiles all the way through rugged off the road construction equipment and farm equipment. Their use in the dirty environments of the off the road and farm equipment vehicles has resulted in a problem in keeping the cooling air passages of the alternators free of dirt and debris. Should these passages become blocked by the foreign matter, the alternator will overheat with the overheating initially decreasing the efficiency and output of the alternator, and ultimately ending in its self-destruction.
In attempting to overcome this overheating problem caused by clogged cooling passages the alternators of the vehicles operatored in such environments, the alternators have previously been equipped with stationary screens designed to prevent the entrance of foreign matter into the alternator cooling passages. Although the stationary screens initially perform their foreign matter filtering function, after the vehicles have been used for a number of hours the screens themselves become clogged with the foreign matter, thereby cutting off all air flow to the alternators cooling passages. This blocking of the filter screen has the same effect as the blocking of the cooling passages, since no cooling air can pass through the alternator, thereby causing it to overheat and eventually fail completely. It is possible to clean the stationary alternators, but in the off the road vehicles the alternators are located at fairly inaccessible positions with the result being the operators fail to remove and clean them at the proper intervals.
Accordingly, it is a primary air of the present invention to provide a rotary filter for an alternator which eliminates the blockage of the alternator's air passages.
Moreover, it is an aim of the present invention to provide such a rotary filter as will operate continuously without requiring periodic cleaning by the vehicle operator.
With more particularity, it is an object of the present invention to provide an operational rotating alternator filter that will not interfere with the flow of electrical current from the alternator.